New Forum Topic: "You're the Captain"

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derg

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New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Check it out!
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

To the low time pilots on this board, the following is not a put down or a flame. Think about the scenario and put yourself in the left seat and try to answer honestly.

Here's the situation captain.. You're flying an old turboprop with no autopilot. Your paired up with a very low time pilot. He/she has just over 500 hours total and gained much of that time burning holes in the sky above central Florida.

The airplane, although not extremely difficult to pilot, can be a handful at times, especially for a low timer. The FO you're paired up with is having a real hard time keeping altitude within a hundred feet of assigned and his/her radio communication procedures leave a lot to be desired.

As a captain, you're responsible to not only conduct a safe flight, but to also mentor young FOs.

Captain, how can you conduct a safe flight using a two person crew concept, if you are on high alert monitoring your first officer, both as FP, and NFP? Do you think having such a low time FO is a safety hazard? What do you think the comfort level of the passengers would be if they knew that in some instances, there is only one really qualified pilot working the flight?


No flames now.. Just asking what you think.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Regardless of his/her flying time, as passenger or captain I would wonder who is the idiot that put this person in the cockpit that can't handle the plane in these condiditons. If he/she was part of a program I'd wonder who and why she passed to this level of the program.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Captain, how can you conduct a safe flight using a two person crew concept, if you are on high alert monitoring your first officer, both as FP, and NFP? Do you think having such a low time FO is a safety hazard? What do you think the comfort level of the passengers would be if they knew that in some instances, there is only one really qualified pilot working the flight?


We all didn't start out as an "ace" pilot. That said generally speaking there is [with very few ecpetions] no time in which one pilot cannot safely fly almost any aircraft.

I would start by becomming "as you are at that point" an instructor.

Advise the FO pilot to moniter the altitude closer. SMALL IMPUTS ! Make the radio calls and tell the FO to listen up and correct the mistakes being made in his/her transmittions.

Is this situation a safety hazard? NO

I think the pax have no idea of the quality of the pilot at any time. The only criterion that 99.9% of the pax use is the landing. If it is smooth your a good pilot. If the landing is rough your bad.

I wiuld most likely check with other pilots to see if ALL hires from the flight school that the FO came from were having the same problems.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Cooooollllll!!!!!!!!
shocked.gif
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Thanks for the props!
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

[ QUOTE ]
I think the pax have no idea of the quality of the pilot at any time. The only criterion that 99.9% of the pax use is the landing. If it is smooth your a good pilot. If the landing is rough your bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is true that 99.9% of the passengers judge the landing only. However, you are really judged (and should be judging yourself) the entire flight. If you miss radio calls, are blowing through altitude assignments, not properly monitoring systems, etc., then even if you grease it on the flight was really a disaster.

As a low time pilot I can understand how captains would keep an extra eye on me. I don't blame them, since if I was in their position (as I most likely will be someday in the future) I would keep one eye always on that FO to ensure they are doing things properly. At least until I am confident in their skills and knowledge. I try to maintain very high standards in my flying and knowledge, hoping that after a flight or two my captain will develop confidence in me as a crewmember and part of the team.

If there was an FO I was flying with who was not flying up to par, I would try and reduce their workload to a point where picking up the extra work wasn't overburdening me. If they miss a radio call, I'll take it, and I'd make sure they recognize the mistake. If they are not flying up to par, then I'll ask them to take every third leg instead of every other leg, this way they can observe more and hopefully pick some things up. Sometimes the PNF duties are more difficult than the actual flying. As a captain, I am in a way a teacher, however I am not an initial CFI. If they are not flying up to the standards set forth by the company, and show absolutely no sign of improvement in a short time (a few flight hours), then I would most likely inform the CP that this pilot is overloaded on the line and would need remedial training (or be released). You can only give so much.

Often pilots new to an aircraft--particularly an aircraft more complex than they have flown previous--will be overloaded. In my first 25 hours (on IOE) there were times I would miss a radio call, forget to call for a checklist at the proper time, or bump on a landing. But I was expected to learn from those mistakes and show signs of improvement on a very steep learning curve. If someone is showing no improvement, then it might be time to consider extra training or be released.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Neat.

Is this some kind of test to prove the old axiom about asking ten pilots for their opinion and getting twelve different answers?
grin.gif
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Interesting new thread, Doug. I assume that some of the situations are going to be real ones you've had to deal with. This is an excellent object lesson to those who want to fly for a living.

As private pilots, we have the luxury of making safety an inviolable #1 top priority (although the accident records show we don't do that so well), no matter how small the concern may be. But professional pilots (who want to remain employed) don't have that option, a point I think you've made before on this board.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Well as was mentioned earlier the transition from flying singles and twins around in the sky to 50-70 seat CRJ's can be ruff.

Which is why IOE was created. Being a so called virgin to flying airline passengers around I'm thinking that by the time one is done with IOE they should well prepared to handle the airplane....in theory.

But like a really cute SAAB pilot in this forum said an experienced Captain should definately maintain control of the plane while instructing a low hour pilot.

Putting him through his or her paces and pointing out there mistakes and giving them advice on how to get better as a pilot.

Letting them observe so that they might better learn aircraft operation and handling so on and so forth.

Lastly not to start conterversy... though some might say I swim in it.

Lots has been said on this site about low hour pilots (500-1000 hr. pilots). Personally I believe them to be fully capable of flying passenger planes filled with passengers or large cargo planes.

It all in my opinion depends on the person and there abilities and there drive and determination. Some people learn faster then others some are better prepared then others I have met some really good pilots andthen I have met some really good lazy pilots. Then I have met some just plain lazy pilots who shouldn't be allowed ina car let alone a plane.

In short we shouldn't all generalize cause not everyones skill is the same.


Everett
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Quote:
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But like a really cute SAAB pilot in this forum said
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comments like those ought to be kept to yourself

Now i know you wouldn't say that to him face to face, so why do you say it on the message board? Because you are hiding behind a computer screen. You shouldn't say stuff to people on the message boards that you wouldn't want to tell the person face to face.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Oh come on man, let's be honest here; he's cute. He's no where near as cute as me (or my girlfriend for that matter, but we shouldn't compare amateurs with professionals like my girlfriend), but he's certinally cute.

And I would say that to his face. Heck, he might even get a slap on the butt and a "Good game son."

Cheers


John Herreshoff
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

Course he's good-lookin. He's a pilot, ain't he?
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

[ QUOTE ]
Regardless of his/her flying time, as passenger or captain I would wonder who is the idiot that put this person in the cockpit that can't handle the plane in these condiditons. If he/she was part of a program I'd wonder who and why she passed to this level of the program.

[/ QUOTE ]Exactly. Go find that person's IOE captain and kick him in the nuts.
wink.gif


Seriously, folks...give it a few years and this won't be a problem. By the time we're all captains, all we'll be able to say to such an FO is "you coulda been a little quicker on the FLCH button".
grin.gif


Or drop subtle hints like "did you see the position announcement on the crew room bulletin board? Looks like dispatch is hiring, I'd be happy to walk in your resume!"
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting new thread, Doug. I assume that some of the situations are going to be real ones you've had to deal with.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some may be real, some may be made up, but I'm not telling!
smile.gif


Too much liability if I did anyway.
 
Re: New Forum Topic: \"You\'re the Captain\"

**Edit**

Nah, it was kind of funny after all! Sorry for the wrist slap.
 
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